“We must work tirelessly to eliminate gender-based violence in our City and world. We know that women of color, immigrants and refugees, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities are more likely to be victimized in these crimes” said Mayor Durkan. “With these investments, the City of Seattle will continue to help provide critical services for survivors of gender-based violence, and tell all survivors in our City: We will advocate for you.”

Twenty-four existing and 12 new programs will receive City funding for 2019 to support a network of culturally-relevant services in the areas of mobile/flexible advocacy, shelter/housing and therapeutic services.

Advocacy programs received funding for flexible services that can meet a survivor in a safe location, provide parenting support, offer multi-lingual and interpreter services, and include outreach and education programs. Programs for shelter or housing offer time-limited confidential or semi-confidential emergency shelter, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, bridge housing, and include multi-lingual staff or interpreter services, support groups, and legal advocacy. Funded therapeutic services include medical advocacy, individual or group therapy, and information and referral for medical care/concerns including assistance with follow-up care, support at medical exams and appointments, support groups, and 24-hour hotline support.

The Human Services Department – Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (MODVSA) provided the awards. A panel of survivors of gender-based violence, communities of color, immigrant and refugee families, communities with disabilities, and agencies providing services for survivors reviewed proposals and recommended the funding.

“This competitive process is just the latest that the department has run for community agencies to receive our funding,” said Jason Johnson, Interim Director of the Human Services Department (HSD). “HSD has developed a results-driven investment model that helps ensure that the department’s work is making a real difference in the lives of vulnerable people including addressing community disparities, while investing in what works.”

In Washington state, 41% of women and 32% of men report experiencing violence from an intimate partner. In Washington State, 45% of women and 22% of men report having experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.

Nationally, more than one-in-three women have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime, and approximately seven million women are raped and/or physically assaulted by a current or former intimate partner each year.